Media Magazine Article Summary

Why should we studt digital games? Part 1&2
Andrew Burn, Diane Carr and Gareth Schott

Some Stats

• in Korea 80% of individuals aged 8-24 go online to play games (Net Profile Research, 2000)
• in all, 18 million PlayStation consoles were sold around the world between 2001 and 2002
• the UK now possesses the third biggest console market in the world (after the US and Japan)

At the heart of the distinction between digital games and other media, are these factors:

1. They are games – so they have rules, competition, scores, components to move, and elements of skill or chance.

2. They employ computer technology.

3. They are ‘interactive’.

Interactivity: The article explains that the difference of the user shows; when you control a character on a game, the style of play may be totally different compared to another person playing the same game. The use the example of Tomb Raider and say that Lara Croft might act differently when another person is at the controls, the user dictates how the 'hero' behaves.